Saturday, 26 July 2014

RECIPE: Lentil ratatouille

Post family holiday, I was craving a health-kick. Gorging on baguettes, croissants and ice cream is a lot of fun, but it doesn’t half leave you feeling stodgier than a huge portion of cheesy chips topped with dumplings and served with bread on the side.

(Mmm carbs.)

However, I find that all it takes is a few days of healthier, carb-light eating to leave me feeling significantly slimmer, more energised and lighter in general. That’s what happened this week, and this ratatouille has played a key role. In fact, it’s been dinner five nights in a row!

I’ve put a twist on the classic French side dish by adding lentils. They’re SO good for you and mix into the ratatouille perfectly in my opinion, creating a substantial meal in itself.

A bowlful of this makes for a tasty, hearty, wholesome dinner as it is, but would also be lovely served with some grilled chicken or perhaps alongside a crusty wholemeal bread roll.

It’s packed full of Mediterranean veggie goodness and nutrition-high lentils. A lot of people turn their nose up at lentils or don’t know how to cook them (I’m still learning on that last one), but they just blend in sneakily to the ratatouille-y goodness here.

Lentils are:

Full of fibre

Good for your heart

Rich in protein

Low-cal

Digestion aids

Energising – they keep you full!

This recipe serves 3-4 depending on how hungry you are or what it’s accompanying – I actually got five dinners out of this quantity by mixing the last quarter with plain brown rice and turning it into two meals. I even found it got better as the days went on, weirdly enough.

It’s just a big bowl of goodness that will leave you feeling wonderful! Not to mention pipsqueak to make.

Welcome to Handbags and Cupcakes. My name's Rachel and I'm a 25-year-old British journalist with a penchant for peanut butter and anything pink. Stick around to follow my adventures in London and further afield, with a lot of delicious food along the way.